Delivery of upper-basin sediment to the lower neuse river,North Carolina,U.S.A.

Extensive storage of upper-basin Piedmont sediment and apparent low sediment supply to streams in lower-basin Coastal Plain areas generates questions as to the source of alluvium in lower reaches of rivers of the U.S. Atlantic drainage. This was investigated on the Neuse River, North Carolina, using a mineralogical indicator of sediment source areas. The utility of mica flakes for discriminating between Piedmont and non-Piedmont sources of sediment in the lower Coastal Plain reaches of the Neuse was established on the basis of an examination of the U.S. National Soils Database and of 26 soil surveys of the North Carolina Coastal Plain. From the Neuse River estuary to 48 km upstream there are no mica flakes in floodplain soils or in river bank and channel shelf sediments. Mica flakes become more common upstream. This suggests that a very small proportion of the sediment eroded in the Piedmont portion of the watershed is delivered to the river mouth. The small amounts which presumably do reach the lower Coastal Plain are so diluted by Coastal Plain-derived alluvium that no Piedmont origin can be discerned. This demonstrates a dominantly Coastal Plain source and underscores the importance of storage and discontinuous transport in fluvial sediment systems. More importantly, results suggest that upper- and lower-basin sediment dynamics are not only non-linearly related, but may be virtually decoupled.     

Effect of microstructure on stress–strain and pore-pressure response of sabarmati sand under the influence of mica

ABSTRACT

Micaceous soil is believed to be detrimental for civil engineering constructions due to the effect of high compressibility, low compacted density and low shear strength. Individual mica particle has numerous intact mica flakes foliated over each other making it flexible upon loading and rebound upon unloading due to its low hardness and resilient nature. Hence, micaceous soils with mica content more than 10% are considered undesirable for highway pavements, embankments and railway track constructions. When platy mica particles are sufficiently numerous to interact with spherical sand particles, bridging and ordering phenomena are augmented within the soil mass creating unique sand-mica particle orientation (MS microstructure) unlike sand-sand particle orientation (PS microstructure). The current experimental research was conducted to evaluate the variation in stress–strain, pore pressure and effective stress path response of Sabarmati sand under the influence of mica (sand with 30% mica and pure sand) with MS and PS microstructure respectively. Effect of particle crushing on stress–strain and pore pressure response was also studied on Sabarmati sand with MS and PS microstructure. Distinctive macroscopic response was observed in Sabarmati sand with MS microstructure under the influence of mica as well as mica particle crushing.     

Modeling of dioctahedral 2:1 phyllosilicates by means of transferable empirical potentials

 Dioctahedral 2:1 phyllosilicates with different interlayer charge have been studied theoretically by using transferable empirical interatomic potentials. The crystal structures of pyrophyllite, muscovite, margarite, beidellite, montmorillonite, and different smectites and illites have been simulated. The interatomic potentials were able to reproduce the experimental structure of phyllosilicates with high, medium and low interlayer charge. The calculated structures are in agreement with experiment for the main structural features of the crystal lattice. The effect of the cation substitution in the octahedral and tetrahedral sheets on the structural features has been also studied. Good linear relationships have been found, and the calculated effects are consistent with experimental results. Some unknown structural features of the crystal structures of clays are predicted in this work. Received: 8 March 2000 / Accepted: 19 September 2000     

The dynamics of the snow avalanche affected areas in Piatra Mica mountains (Romania)

This article is intended to explain the snow avalanche occurrence, as a natural phenomenon directly influenced by the local natural conditions, for the well-delimited area represented by the Piatra Mica massif, belonging to the Piatra Craiului mountain range (southern Carpathians). In this respect, depending on the factors that may trigger or encourage the avalanches, some vulnerable areas with avalanche occurring conditions have been identified, based on the analysis of the relationships among the factors controlling the avalanche vulnerability in the study area. These factors are mainly represented by the slope aspect, which induces from the very beginning some specific features for each type of slope (north-, east-, south and west-facing slopes), the geological structure, slope gradient and topography. At the same time, the general climatic and biological features have been taken into account, from the point of view of their importance for avalanche occurrence and distribution. Depending on the microrelief exhibited by the avalanche chutes, one can establish distinct dynamical features for each of the four major slopes of the massif. It is worth mentioning that for this study area, this is the first paper dealing with avalanche phenomenon, vulnerable space, control factors and landscape dynamics. In accomplishing this demarche, we used detailed mappings in the field in several stages, the processing of satellite images, analytical (declivities, the exposure of slopes, etc.) and synthetic maps from which the dynamic of sectors with avalanches resulted. The findings of this investigation may further be employed for solving the problems raised by avalanche-prone areas, as well as for devising a better strategy for the effective management of the mountain realm.     

渤海南部表层沉积的相特征

通过海上调查及实验室分析,查明渤海南部表层沉积物在结构类型、矿物组合、生物组分及沉积构造等相特征方面具有明显的分区性。渤海南部存在五种沉积相:黄河水下三角洲相、陆架盆地相、海湾相、潮流浅滩相及古滨岸相。黄河水下三角洲相从河口延至水深15—20米处,沉积速率很高,沉积物富含碎屑云母及CaCo_3。陆架盆地相的沉积为粉砂质粘土,具有生物扰动构造。     

滇西南云岭锡矿三叠纪花岗岩年代学、地球化学与云母矿物学特征: 对锡成矿的指示意义

云岭锡矿位于保山地块东缘的云岭花岗岩体内,含矿岩石主要为黑云母二长花岗岩,局部显示片麻状构造。本文锆石U-Pb定年结果表明云岭花岗岩侵位于222.8±1.3Ma,其SiO₂为64.83%~66.05%,K₂O为3.30%~3.72%,Na₂O为1.91%~2.19%,铝饱和指数(A/CNK)为1.26~1.30,显示过铝质高钾钙碱性花岗岩特征。花岗岩中岩浆锆石和继承锆石ε_Hf(t)值分别在-10.6~-13.9和-1.16~-23.8之间,对应t_DM2 (Ma)分别在1926~2138Ma和1951~3387Ma之间,表明岩浆主要来源于古老的地壳物质重熔。云岭花岗岩中Sn含量在4.3×10^-6~14.2×10^-6之间,花岗岩中岩浆黑云母Sn含量在5.8×10^-6~9.6×10^-6之间,蚀变花岗岩中的热液黑云母Sn含量为75.8×10^-6~244.0×10^-6,交代岩浆黑云母的热液白云母Sn含量为12.2×10^-6~16.4×10^-6,而石英脉中白云母的Sn含量为741.0×10^-6~1042×10^-6。对比华南和云南腾冲地区部分锡矿床和含锡花岗岩,云岭花岗岩演化程度低,且花岗岩及岩浆黑云母的Sn含量未显著富集,可能不是致矿花岗岩。云岭锡成矿作用可能与深部隐伏的花岗岩释放的富Sn岩浆流体有关。

     

Post-collisional rapid exhumation and erosion during continental sedimentation: the example of the late Variscan Salvan-Dorénaz basin (Western Alps)

The Salvan-Dorénaz intramontane basin formed between ca. 308–293 Ma as an asymmetric graben along crustal-scale transtensional fracture zones within the Aiguilles-Rouges crystalline massif (Western Alps) and represents a feature of the post-collisional evolution of the Variscan orogens. It contains 1.5–1.7 km of continental clastic deposits which were eroded from granitic, volcanic, and metamorphic rocks. Textural and compositional immaturity of the sandstones, and the numerous lithic fragments with low chemical and physical stability suggest only short-range transport. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar analyses of detrital muscovite are interpreted to represent cooling of the crystalline basement below the respective closure temperatures. Ages from detrital muscovite range between ca. 280–330 Ma. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar white mica plateau ages from granitic boulders range between 301–312 Ma and suggest rapid cooling. The very short time interval recorded between the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar cooling ages and the stratigraphic age of the host sediment suggests that considerable portions of the upper crust were removed prior to the formation of the basin. Late Variscan granitic boulders document surface exposure and erosion of Late Carboniferous granites during early stages of the infilling of the basin. Therefore, unroofing of basement units, magmatic activity, and formation of the fault bounded Salvan-Dorénaz basin were acting concomitantly, and are highly suggestive of extensional tectonics. When compared with other orogens, this situation seems specific to the Variscan, especially the exclusively young ages of detrital material, however, modern analogous may exist.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article if you access the article at . A link in the frame on the left on that page takes you directly to the supplementary material.     

锡田印支-燕山期复式花岗质岩浆-热液活动时限和物质来源

锡田钨锡多金属矿田位于湘赣两省交界,南岭成矿带的北部。锡田花岗岩体是一个复式岩体。本文利用LA-MC-ICP MS技术对8个样品的锆石进行了原位微区U-Pb定年和Lu-Hf同位素测试,结果显示其中有4个为印支期(226~225Ma)、另外4个为燕山期(166~158Ma)。印支期花岗岩锆石的εHf(t)值为-4.6~-10.8,两阶段模式年龄TDM2值为2011~1534Ma,根据是否呈正态分布可分为7组;燕山期花岗岩锆石的εHf(t)值为-4.3~-10,TDM2值为1896~1429Ma,可分为5组。相似的Hf同位素组成表明两期花岗岩具有同源性,均源自古元古代晚期至中元古代早期地壳物质的部分熔融。而εHf(t)值变化范围较大且分成很多组可能更主要受控于源区Hf同位素的不均一性。此外,本文利用40 Ar-39 Ar定年方法测得花岗岩顶部石英脉和云英岩中4个白(金)云母的年龄为150~148Ma,这期与成矿有关的热液作用应该与最晚一期岩浆活动有关。通过本次获得的定年数据和对已有的成岩成矿定年数据的总结,本文认为锡田岩体可以分为三个期次,印支期(226~225Ma),燕山期第一阶段(166~158Ma)和燕山期第二阶段(151~141Ma)。     

牡丹江地区黑龙江杂岩中云母片岩的碎屑锆石年代学研究及其地质意义

黑龙江杂岩带作为佳木斯地块与松嫩地块间缝合带的组成部分,对于探究佳木斯地块晚古生代—中生代构造演化具有重要意义。本文选取牡丹江地区黑龙江杂岩带中云母片岩进行碎屑锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年代学分析,从而限定黑龙江杂岩的形成时代。结果显示,云母片岩中最年轻的碎屑锆石年龄分布为176～172 Ma,平均年龄为174±1 Ma,该组锆石发育明显的岩浆振荡环带结构,并且Th/U比值大于0.3,具有岩浆锆石的典型特征,限定了云母片岩原岩的沉积时间下限,表明黑龙江杂岩的形成时代可能在早侏罗世晚期至中侏罗世之后。本文对黑龙江杂岩中云母片岩的碎屑锆石年龄谱进行物源分析,结合前人的研究成果,发现其碎屑锆石年龄分布介于1 339～172 Ma之间,主要集中在1 339～741 Ma、553～497 Ma和267～172 Ma的3个区间,分别与佳木斯地块和松嫩—张广才岭地块上的多期岩浆事件相对应,说明其源区主要是佳木斯地块和松嫩—张广才岭地块。通过对黑龙江杂岩和小兴安岭—张广才岭岩浆岩带所报道的研究结果进行归纳总结,对佳木斯地块晚古生代—中生代的构造演化提出了新的认识：在早二叠世,佳木斯地块为牡丹江洋中的陆块;晚三叠世—早-中侏罗世期间,牡丹江洋向松嫩地块进行俯冲,形成黑龙江杂岩。     

Pressure-induced phase transition in synthetic trioctahedral Rb-mica

 The crystal structure of a synthetic Rb analog of tetra-ferri-annite (Rb–TFA) 1M with the composition Rb_0.99Fe²⁺ _3.03(Fe³⁺ _1.04 Si_2.96)O_10.0(OH)_2.0 was determined by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. The structure is homooctahedral (space group C2/m) with M1 and M2 occupied by divalent iron. Its unit cell is larger than that of the common potassium trioctahedral mica, and similar lateral dimensions of the tetrahedral and octahedral sheets allow a small tetrahedral rotation angle α=2.23(6)°. Structure refinements at 0.0001, 1.76, 2.81, 4.75, and 7.2 GPa indicate that in some respects the Rb–TFA behaves like all other micas when pressure increases: the octahedra are more compressible than the tetrahedra and the interlayer is four times more compressible than the 2:1 layer. However, there is a peculiar behavior of the tetrahedral rotation angle α: at lower pressures (0.0001, 1.76, 2.81 GPa), it has positive values that increase with pressure [from 2.23(6)° to 6.3(4)°] as in other micas, but negative values −7.5(5)° and −8.5(9)° appear at higher pressures, 4.75 and 7.2 GPa, respectively. This structural evidence, together with electrostatic energy calculations, shows that Rb–TFA has a Franzini A-type 2:1 layer up to at least 2.81 GPa that at higher pressure yields to a Franzini B-type layer, as shown by the refinements at 4.75 and 7.2 GPa. The inversion of the α angle is interpreted as a consequence of an isosymmetric displacive phase transition from A-type to B-type structure between 2.81 and 4.75 GPa. The compressibility of the Rb–TFA was also investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction up to a maximum pressure of 10 GPa. The lattice parameters reveal a sharp discontinuity between 3.36 and 3.84 GPa, which was associated with the phase transition from Franzini-A to Franzini-B structure. Received: 21 October 2002 / Accepted: 25 February 2003